Conversations
by RebelYell1205
Summary: Chase, speaking to someone who isn't part of the PPTH life. Rated for language, and content. Some spoilers for Season 3 episodes.
1. Liz

Author's Note: I'm trying a slightly unusual form with this story - it's almost entirely dialogue. Let me know what you think, by reviewing if you are so inclined. The original characters herein will also be seen in my other story "Growing Up Chase". SPOILER ALERT! I allude heavily to events foreshadowed in the most recent House episode, as well as referring directly to events of the episode Finding Judas. I also utilize some spoilers for Chase in the upcoming episodes -- so if you want to remain entirely unspoiled, don't continue (come back in a few weeks, if you like).

Warning: References to sex (not explicit in any way), and coarse language will be seen in this story.

Conversations

By Rebel Yell

"'lo."

" Robbie, wake up! I know it's not that early in New Jersey."  
" It is when you go to bed at three in the morning."  
" Bad night in the ICU?"  
" Nasty car crash, six people injured and one killed. We got nailed, right as my shift was supposed to end at eleven. Was supposed to have the day off, but Dr. Stamato needs me back in at eleven to help midnights." Rob sounded like he was waking up, and she could just picture him sitting up in bed, running fingers through impossibly wild hair in a vain attempt to make it look less bedraggled. He was so cute in the mornings. The mental picture made her miss him even more. She shook off the image, when he started speaking again, "How's the latest film going?"  
" I've only got a few days left of shooting. I'll be back in California by next week. God, I've missed this country. Do I have to go back to America?"  
" No. You can always go back to Sydney and live in that big beautiful house on the beach."  
" I hate that house when it's empty. It's so lonely without you in it -- you grew up there, I still think you should live in it. Besides, I said I missed this country. I love London."  
" You love to shop."  
" Yes, I do. And I've been busy this year, so I have plenty to spend. Are we still going to Milan and Paris next spring?"  
" If I can get enough days off in a row. You may have to find someone else to carry your bags about."  
" Absolutely not. Half the point of the trip is to make you try on all the things by the designers, and buy the best ones, so I can show off how pretty you are. You promised to come to my film's New York premiere and I am so picking your outfit for that. You are far too beautiful to be dressing yourself, Mr. Three-Different-Ugly-Patterns-At-Once."  
" I like my clothes. They're…quirky."  
" They're _ugly_, Robbie. You dress like you went shopping in the dark, then got dressed in the dark."  
" Well, Miss _Garnett_, even though that's not your real name, not all of us are as naturally inclined to fashion as you."  
" I got all the fashion sense, and you're the pretty one. What does that leave Danny being?"  
" The one with the common sense."  
" Ah, I knew he had something I was jealous of. He has sense, you have hair. And a skinny ass. I want the hair and the skinny ass."  
" I'm not pretty and my ass is _not_ skinny. I've been told I have a very nice ass. _I _don't have thousands of fans writing me letters about how hot I am, unlike some others in this conversation."  
" You're gorgeous, love. And you would do, if you ever agreed to be in a photo shoot or a bit part in a film with me."  
" I hate people staring at me. You know how I feel about my looks."  
" You like it when girls don't care that your shark story is dumb because you're hot."  
" That's individual. It's not hundreds of people staring at me for the sole purpose of watching my ass or something."

" You know, seriously, Michael is salivating at the thought of you."  
" Michael is incredibly gay. Hearing that he's salivating over me is fairly disturbing."  
" I think he's more interested in how much money he could make on percentages."  
" He doesn't make enough off of you?"  
" Agents never have enough. All he asks is that if you ever _do _think about it…"  
" If I ever think about modeling, or acting, as a career, I'll call a _psychiatric facility _the very next day, I promise." He was laughing lightly, and she leaned back against the pillows with a broad smile on her face. He didn't laugh enough, she thought, and enjoyed hearing it.

" How's your work? How'd it go with the guy with…Wagner's?"  
" Wegener's. And he's not our patient anymore. Once we figure out what he has, odd presentation though it may be, we lose track of him. Oh, Carol's son wants an autographed picture."  
" Carol?" She wracked her brain, trying to remember a Carol. "Third floor ICU? Surgical? The one who brings you the good fudge-chunk brownies?"  
" That's the one. Her son has a crush on you."  
" Is he cute?"  
" He's _sixteen_!" He was laughing at her, but they both knew she hadn't been serious in the first place. Besides, he'd been stupid enough to tell her about a certain nine year old girl, so he didn't have any room to tease much. He'd get it back in spades.

" Damn. I'll send one off later, you should get it in a couple days. Did you talk to Dr. Cuddy yet?"  
" No. She's been…busy. And there's been a lot going on here."  
" Like your boss punching you. Your co-workers treating you like a suspect. Or maybe a leper."  
" They've gotten better. Foreman actually listens to me now - first time in three years."  
" Cameron stopped talking about He Who I Do Not Name?"  
" You know, calling my dad that doesn't _really_ mean you don't speak of my dad. It just means you talk about him using a really weird nickname."  
" Well you got offended when I called him your Sperm Donor."  
" _That_ makes me sound like a forty year old woman who wants kids but not a husband."  
" You haven't answered the question."  
" She's been…nice. To me. Weird. But nice."

" You've slept with her again!" She felt like reaching across the ocean to slap him. He was so stupid when it came to women. Cameron clearly didn't even like him, she must be really horny again. And to Lizzie's mind, her Robbie deserved a lot more than to be used as a booty-call. "If I weren't in England right now, I'd hit you so hard your brains came out your ear! She wasn't high again was she? Because if she needs to get high to fuck you, the girl has serious issues."  
" _No_, she's not been high or drunk. And _you_ won't fuck me, sober _or_ stoned. Maybe she just likes me - ever consider that?"  
" I won't fuck you _because_ I love you. You get all dysfunctional when people you are fucking fall in love with you. Wait. _Been_? More than once? This is a thing now? Are you _dating_ her?"  
" It's not dating, per se. We get together some nights."  
" She's fuckbuddying you."  
" I don't think it's precisely something she's doing to me, Liz. It's rather mutual."  
" Your idea or hers?"  
" Hers."  
" You pick the times or her?"  
" Her."  
" Your place or hers?"  
" Uhm…mostly hers. You've seen my place, it's tiny. Don't think she likes it much."  
" I don't like the sound of that 'uhm'. Oh god please tell me you haven't at work?"  
" Only the once. Well, only the once really."  
" ROBERT DAVID CHASE! What are you _thinking_? That's so stupid! You can't have sex at work - that's like the most unprofessional thing you can possibly do!"  
" I told her we'd not again, it wasn't planned or anything."  
" You remember that little two-letter word, it signifies refusal?"  
" Yes."  
" Wrong. Try again."  
" I know what word you meant, Elizabeth." He was definitely getting snippy, he never called her Elizabeth unless he was being exceptionally serious or exceptionally snippy.

"Well _use_ it sometimes. You still like her, don't you?"  
" Lizzie. Please."  
" You are so self-destructive. You're only going to end up hurt, Robbie."  
" I know. I'm used to it. It's…kinda nice. I've been lonely lately." He sighed, and she desperately wished all those childhood dreams of spending their adult lives living next-door to one another had worked out. Danny at least was still at home in Sydney, but she and Robbie were so far from home -- and each other.

" I miss you too. I just wish you had healthier ways of dealing with it."  
" Suggestions, Dear Lizzie?"  
" Anything other than sleeping with the coworker you've had a crush on for three years. Who doesn't like you, or know you. She thought you ratted out your boss to that cop, didn't she? And she thinks your dad pulled strings for you. And she still thinks your lazy, doesn't she?"  
" All those things."  
" Does she even know your mom and _him _are dead? Does she even know _that much _about you, Robbie?"  
" Everyone knows about Dad, because of Kayla. House knows about Mum, so Dr. Wilson does too. No one else."  
" Isn't she the one who got all judgmental because you didn't go to _his_ funeral? Despite the fact that your stepmother finally remembered to call you just the day before it was being held?"  
" She means well, Liz."  
" She doesn't know you at all. You need a girl who you can open up to."  
" How about your love life, Lizzie? We know mine's DOA, no surprise. How's the new fella, Steve?"  
" The ex-new fella."  
" Ouch. That lasted all of two weeks."  
" He's a cad." She bit out sharply, punching the pillow on the couch beside her in annoyance.  
" He wanted sex."  
" Not everything is about sex, Robert. At least, not for people who aren't _you_. You really are all about sex." She winced, hearing him sigh, and felt the guilt hit her immediately. "I'm sorry, Robbie. I didn't mean that."  
" Yeah, you did."  
" All right, I did, but I shouldn't have said it."  
" I'm not…it's not all about sex. I just…it feels good. I don't know. It's impossible to explain."  
" You are a manwhore. I love you anyway."  
" Thanks. I'm right though, he wanted sex."  
" Yes."  
" And you, being you, gave him the policy speech."  
" Yes."  
" You know, that's going to scare off anyone."  
" You and Danny are still about. Colin too."  
" Danny's married, Colin's a _priest_, and I already know you won't fuck me."  
" We'd only been going out about ten days. I'm not that easy."  
" Lizzie, you aren't easy at all. You've had sex with one man, and you're a well-known actress who's been in the business for ten years. That's downright weird. I respect that about you, but it's still weird."  
" Sometimes I wish…you remember my eleventh birthday?"  
" Yeah, of course. It's the only time in my life I've proposed, after all."  
" I still have that ring. You scared the life out of my mum."  
" We were eleven. She couldn't think it would really happen."  
" Well, you bought a _real_ ring. It even has a diamond. Where on Earth did you get that sort of money at eleven?"  
" I talked mum into letting me have half the money from a couple of my shoots -- the one's she kept making me do. And it has a very _tiny _diamond. I can't believe you still have it. It can't fit."  
" I wear it on a necklace."  
" Lizzie, I love you. You're one of my best friends -- you and Danny and Cols -- but we both know I'd never be good for you like that."  
" I know. I just wish sometimes that all those silly dreams could have come true. I gave up on you actually marrying me when you lost your virginity to Jody McCormick."  
" She was a nice girl."  
" You were _barely fourteen_, and she was seventeen! And she was a slag, Robbie."  
" She was nice to me."  
" She was also the first in a long line of girls -- one still ongoing."  
" How did this conversation end up being about my appallingly bad sexual habits?"  
" You slept with your coworker, again."  
" Right. How could I forget. Lizzie, you know how I feel and I know how you feel about this. Let's not argue."  
" I just worry about you."  
" I've been to Confession."  
" Good, but I'm less worried about your soul and more about your heart. You've generally been pretty good about the first, and not so good about the other. Just be careful, okay? You deserve a good woman, Robbie. You're such a sweetie, even if you don't want to admit that."  
" God, I miss you. How does having you call me just to shout at me about screwing something up make me feel better?"  
" I love you, that's why. Unfortunately, I have to go, don't think you're so special being a doctor, I have to work Saturdays too. I'm on a break, but it looks like they're signaling for me. I'll call you back when I'm done for the day. Should be in a few hours."  
" Right then, off you go. Back to work, Miss Movie Star."  
" I love you, Robbie."  
" Love you more. Bye."

" Bye, Robbie." Liz rung off, dropping her mobile back into her bag with a smile. Robbie could drive her to distraction, but he somehow made her feel better at the same time. She'd have to call Danny though, and see if he'd known about this mess with Cameron already. Because he was supposed to tell her when Robbie did things like this. How was she supposed to keep Robbie from doing something foolish if her co-conspirator failed to conspire with her?


	2. Dan

A/N: This is what happens when I finish my degree. I start writing and...I end up with three new chapters for this. All original characters are introduced in my story _Growing Up Chase_. This is in the same "universe", so to speak, as that story.

Conversations

By Rebel Yell

"Hello?"  
" Rob, mate, I've tried you three times already -- are you living at work these days?"  
" We had a case in diagnostics that went critical fast. The ICU was overloaded as it was, so this is the first I've been round my place in about four days. What's up?"  
"I'm sending you an email with information about vacation-"  
" Dan, I can't join you."

" Last year you skipped out because you had to work. If you skip again this year Liz is going to hunt you down and seriously hurt you. It's been two years since we've seen you. Surely your hospital can run for two weeks without you around?"  
" I can't come. Although a cruise in the Greek Isles sounds lovely."  
" It's about the money, isn't it? Rob, it's covered. Don't worry about it."  
" I'm not letting Liz pay my way. I don't take charity, and I don't need anyone's pity."  
" It's not pity _or_ charity, Rob. It's us being selfish. We want to see you. Jack thinks his Uncle Rob lives in the telephone. And you've never even met Michael."

" I can't go."  
" Rob, stop being so fucking stubborn. It's just money. Liz has a load of it now, anyway. She wants to do this for you. And it's not like you've never given her expensive gifts -- you bought her a diamond ring when you were eleven, and you gave her a house, to name a couple."  
" Half a house, still unofficial, and it's not worth much right now is it?"  
" How much longer until things are settled?"  
" My lawyer isn't sure. It's apparently an unusual circumstance. I'm not challenging the will, not really, just an effect of it. Is it fair to say I strongly dislike my stepmother?"  
" More than. So…how're you doing? With all of that? Liz is afraid to ask you. According to her, the last time she did you two had a fight about her offering to help you out -- there's pride and there's stupidity, Rob."  
" I'm not letting Liz take care of me -- I take care of myself. She means well, I know, but…I depend on me. Even if I'm broke. I moved to smaller place, but…car payments and insurance and…other things. I make good money, I shouldn't have a problem, but it disappears quicker than you'd think."  
" You're a fellow. And you're paying taxes on property back here -- by the way, Liz is preparing to murder you for not letting her take over that for a few years -- and paying solicitors too. You're bankrupting yourself fighting this."  
" It's mine. It was never his, and certainly not _hers_. If I have to keep it tied up in the courts until I turn 35, I will. If I actually do go broke, and I end up living in my car, I'm not letting her get her greedy hands on what's mine. You know the first thing she's going to do is sell the house."  
" Maybe she's not so spiteful and evil as you think."  
" Dan…I'm going to pretend that you didn't sound suspiciously close to telling me I'm wrong in this. It's mine. Even Dad knew that."  
" Then why didn't he put it in his will? Maybe he wanted the two of you to…bond or something."  
" He likely forgot all about it. He always did forget about me, the minute I was out of sight. And I didn't know he was dying, so I didn't think to remind him to keep my mother's estate well away from his new wife."  
" It's pretty standard for the wife to be the executor of an estate."

" She has no right to be executor of _that. _And if she wasn't so evil as I think, she wouldn't be keeping the interest for herself, would she? It's not like she didn't get everything of his as it was. Greedy bitch is taking my mum's money now too. And if Dad wanted us to bond or something, he could've told me he was sick, asked me to come home…something."  
" Maybe she's keeping it because you've got everything tied up in court?"  
" Then explain why I never got my June check that year? March 31, Dad alive, like clockwork. June 31, Dad dead, nothing. And nothing in September. Nothing since my dad died. She's even playing up the 'he didn't even come to his own father's funeral' situation for her own benefit, to make her look like the sweet unassuming widow and I'm the evil step-son who's just greedy. She conveniently forgets to mention that she called me the day before the funeral -- and I don't exactly live next door -- and the fact that what I want isn't anything of his, it was my mum's."  
" Okay, I'm done playing devil's advocate. Your stepmother is a bitch."  
" There's my best mate again."  
" She's still insisting that she has the right to do with it as she pleases, then?"  
" Of course. If Mum's solicitor was still alive, whole thing wouldn't be at issue anyway. He was supposed to be the second trustee -- I'll have to yell at Mum for having a 70-year old solicitor when I see her next. But he predeceased my Dad. So apparently, it becomes the duty of his appointee, as part of his estate, to act as trustee until I inherit in my own right. For some fucking reason, he named his second wife, to act as trustee for the estate of his first wife -- on behalf of a step-son she can barely admit exists. Until I turn 35."  
" In five and a half years."  
" Right. The interest income from Mum's estate is… well, you know, pretty significant. Dad always deposited it quarterly in my accounts. Catherine isn't doing so. And no one can explain to me how it is 'right' that _she_ is spending my mother's money. Further proof that my dad was an ass. I'm not letting her sell Mum's home, my home. I can get by even with all the cost of fighting it in the courts…if I pick up overtime and don't take expensive vacations. Or any vacations. If I double up and take my PTO in Diagnostics, while working per diem in one of the ICUs, I can make about 3,000 dollars more over the year."

" Liz has the money to cover your vacation, AND the taxes on the house that's supposed to be half hers now anyway. Let her do this for you, Rob. It'll make her feel better, for one thing. You know how she is -- she has to _do_ something to help, or she feels useless. And you can't keep working like this. You're going to give yourself an ulcer or something."

"I'll think about it. I promise. You can tell her to stop recruiting for her cause."  
" Come on. Greek Isles -- with your godsons, me, Jen, and Liz. Come on, mate. You need a break, I can tell. Gorgeous weather, the sea, your best friends, no hospital, no Dr. House…what more do you need for a good time?"  
" Fine. I'll check the dates with Dr. Cuddy. Don't guarantee Liz I'm coming until I get her and Dr. House both to sign off."  
" If he gives you any hassle, tell him he owes you for punching you when all you did was save a little girl."  
" Yeah, that'll go over real well."  
" I'm telling Liz you've agreed to come. If you back out now, you have to deal with her."  
" Thanks."  
" Look, I have to go, Rob. I'll call you back for a proper chat Sunday -- but Jen's needing my help with the boys all right?"  
" I've got the 3 to 11 shift Saturday in surgical ICU, so call me about 3 o'clock your time, I should be home by then. Go, give Jen my best, and give Jack and Michael both hugs from Uncle Rob."  
" Of course. Don't work too hard, mate."  
" You either." Rob hung up, and sighed tiredly. A vacation did sound incredibly welcome. And he missed his friends more than he had since the first, nasty, bout of homesickness had passed. He wanted desperately to see Jack again (he was three now) and meet Michael (who was nearly one). He just knew he'd be uncomfortable the whole time, knowing Liz was paying for him. Liz had money now, certainly, but she wasn't paying for everyone. It would be a two-week-long reminder that he was broke, because of _her_ and because his dad was an ass and couldn't be bothered to tell his own son he was dying or to sort things so this mess didn't happen.


	3. Colin

Conversations

By Rebel Yell

"St. Mary Immaculate, Father Fitzpatrick speaking." He answered the phone automatically, while going over the latest accounts for the parish.

" I'm sorry to call so early, Cols."

" It's not that early -- nearly 9 am. I know that tone of voice, what's wrong?" Might as well close the program down, there was no point trying to set a budget and talk Rob down from whatever problem he'd gotten into this time.

" Does something have to be wrong for me to call you?"  
" Rob, you only call me at…6 pm your time for one reason. You need to confess. Anything else waits until later in the day. What's wrong? What'd you do?"  
" I just…needed to talk."  
" The other doctor, the one you've been sleeping with, she called it off didn't she?"  
" How do you know about Cameron?"  
" Liz called Dan. Dan called me. Then I called Liz to confirm. It's a conspiracy against you."  
" I've always suspected. Do any of you have a social life, or do you just gossip about mine?"  
" Dan's married, and I'm a priest, so we live vicariously through you. Liz has a social life, but it's much more regulated than yours despite the fact that she's fairly famous and you're not."  
" She always was cleverer than I am."

" Uh…Cameron was it? So, she dumped you. Except you were never really going out."  
" I might as well have just asked her to do." Rob sighed, sounding exhausted and depressed. "Why am I an idiot?"  
" You aren't. Except when it comes to women. And your bosses. What were you an idiot about this time?"  
" We had an agreement -- or, at least, she told me it was just sex, and I went along with it. Except it didn't feel like just sex. So I asked…well, I told her I wanted more."

" That doesn't sound idiotic. She clearly didn't say 'yes' or I'd be getting a panicked 'what did I do' call. So she turned you down."

"You could say that."  
" Oh, bollocks. Rob, if you wanted to cry you should have called Liz." He was a priest, he was supposed to be able to handle it when people were upset, and he was pretty good with the grieving and the depressed and all the sorts of things he normally dealt with. He just wasn't any good with Rob the rare times he actually let go, especially over the phone.

" She's on set all day."  
" Nice to know I'm second choice. What happened?"  
" It's not important. I'll wait, ring Lizzie later. I shouldn't have bothered you."  
" No, you've already rung me and you clearly need to talk it out. What happened?"  
" You're a priest, you have to be honest right?"  
" Technically, the Eighth Commandment is about bearing false witness, not lying. You know that, Rob. I can tell all the polite little white lies I need to."  
" This isn't little, so you have to be honest. Forget we're mates, and tell me the truth, all right?"  
" Rob, what's wrong?"  
" What's wrong with me? Am I horrid? Is there something about me that's…that makes me impossible to really love?"  
" Oh, fuck." He apologized immediately in his head for swearing, but there really wasn't a better word for how he felt right now. For just one incredibly selfish, entirely un-priestly moment, Colin wished desperately that Liz had been available.

" There is then."  
" NO! I was just…surprised. There is nothing wrong with you, Rob. Nothing that makes it impossible to love you at any rate -- you have _faults _of course but…. I love you. Liz loves you. Dan loves you -- not in the gay way though." He heard Rob almost chuckle at the familiar joke. It turned into a soft sob though, and he was reminded of the late nights back in seminary school when Rob would think he was asleep and finally drop the angry exterior and cry out his frustration and hurt and loneliness. It had always disturbed Colin to think that Rob never let anyone see him hurting -- even before he had learned enough about Rob to know that it was learned behavior. If no one saw you hurt, no one knew you'd been hurt -- and they couldn't hurt you further.

" She didn't even let me finish. She doesn't care enough to even listen to me, to hear me out. I'm not even worth a two-minute conversation."  
" I'm sorry, Rob." It was all he could think of to say, and he had a sudden feeling that God had made sure Liz wasn't able to take this call. Knowing Liz, she'd be on a plane to New Jersey if she heard this, ready to murder or at least horribly maim a certain Dr. Cameron.

" Apparently, so am I. I really do care for her."

" You care for _her_? Or you love not being alone? It's different things."  
" Both, I think. She's…incredibly smart, beautiful, confident. And she actually acted like maybe she liked me a bit. I thought…it was a start."

" Well, you may have been a bit…presumptuous in this instance."  
" A bit? No. A bit presumptuous was me _thinking_ she might like me. Actually asking her to treat me as more than a walking penis was just stupid. She was fine with liking me, I know she had a good time with me even when we weren't having sex, I could tell, so long as I didn't make her admit it to me or herself. I'm not good enough to actually like."  
" You…all right? You sound…not all right. Maybe you should go see that-"

" I don't need any of that, Cols. I'll be fine."  
" You've been saying that for more than ten years."  
" And I'm fine, aren't I? I haven't offed myself or anything."  
" I've never said you were suicidal, Rob. You just need someone to talk things out with-"  
" I'm not yet that pathetic that I have to _pay_ someone to listen to me whinge about my life. Be honest, Cols. You think I'm depressed."  
" I think you've got a lot of issues you haven't dealt with, and you have some depressive, self-destructive episodes. For a lot of very good reasons, mind you. _But _you still should see someone about it."  
" I'm not depressed. I'm just…okay, right now I'm depressed but it's not a chemical thing. It's just that I'm a bit off right now."  
" We're not going to agree on this. And I'm sorry that she doesn't care for you, Rob. But if she thought it was just convenient sex, you can see where she might be a bit…unwilling to change a relationship she thought was clear."  
" You know my fellowship is up at the end of May."  
" Are you extending it again?"  
" I don't think so. I haven't been offered that option for one, and that's usually set in March. Either House thinks I'm no longer an idiot, or he's given up on me entirely. Hard to tell with him."  
" You're looking for jobs then?"  
" I started back in the autumn actually. I think I'm going to be offered a place in the Critical Care department here. I applied in New York, and for a couple positions in LA. Don't tell that to Liz, by the way, I don't want her to start hoping just yet."  
" Have you considered coming home?"

" I've got a standing invite to go to work back at Royal Prince Alfred with Dr. Jessup -- especially now Pete left. I've sent my CV to a few other places in and around Sydney. I've also sent my CV to the hospital in London where Pete works now. Pete always liked me. And with a House fellowship on my CV, I've got good prospects. Assuming I can get House to write a decent recommendation. Maybe I'll just ask Cuddy to write it."  
" It'd be great to have you back in Oz, mate."  
" It's still an option. I know Dan wants me back home."

" Are you going to be all right? With this…mess with Dr. Cameron?"  
" I'm always all right, Cols. Give me a bit and I'll be right again. Need to get my feet under me is all. I should be fucking used to this sort of thing by now."  
" If you ever truly get used to it, Rob, stop arguing and go to a therapist. You're supposed to feel bad when people treat you poorly, when people you love do hurtful things. If you stop feeling, then it's not a good sign."  
" Not feeling…sounds fucking good right now. Too bad there's no anesthesia for the mind and heart. House has been trying it for years -- maybe I just need a Vicodin habit."  
" Rob, come home when that fellowship is over."  
" It's still an option."  
" No. Come home, even if it's only for a short while. We'd all love to see you again for one thing."  
" I'll do my best to manage it."  
" I have a budget I really have to get back to, Rob, but I want you to promise me one thing first."  
" What is it?"  
" Promise me you'll call me, or Dan or Liz, any time you seriously feel the need to develop any sort of habit, all right? And I'm using the black magic to spy on you tonight -- if you so much as take one drink I'll know."  
" I know. I'm not allowed to drink when I'm depressed…between you and Liz and Dan I've heard it a lot. I know all about those bad habits. I'm not going to get drunk."  
" Keep it that way. I get so much as a niggling sense that you're not staying away from it, and I'll have Liz on the first plane to New Jersey -- and you know how she'll react."  
" Do you think she'd get offended if I called her 'Loki' from now on?"  
" No. Rob, I'm sorry about Dr. Cameron. Truly."  
" Thanks. I should have seen it coming though -- she started the whole thing by comparing me to microwave pizza. Not the best omen."  
" Microwave pizza? Rob--"  
" Go back to your budget, Cols. Thanks for…listening. Give my love to your mum when you talk to her."  
" Certainly. Bye, Rob."  
" Bye."

Colin hung up the phone, pulled the budget back up, and tried to concentrate on the screen. A few minutes later, he sighed, and picked the phone back up. If he couldn't call Liz because she was on set all day, he'd call Dan and update him on Rob's newest drama. Dan would take care of telling Liz.


	4. Liz, pt 2

Conversations

By Rebel Yell

Liz checked her voicemail idly, not paying loads of attention to the messages from her mother and her agent -- it was late, she'd call them both back and get the full story later. There was a message from Danny, probably about the vacation they were planning, she skipped it, it would wait. The fourth new message definitely grabbed her attention away from the new version of tomorrow's scenes.

" Liz…sorry to bother you -- I know you're busy, I just…needed to talk. Give me a ring when you can. Love you." Robbie sounded quiet and unsure and hurt. Liz glanced at the clock, nearly three in the morning in New Jersey. No doubt Robbie would be asleep. It sounded important though, and despite her own exhaustion, she rung him up.

" Hello." He didn't sound sleepy, which wasn't a good sign.  
" Robbie…what's wrong? You sounded awful in your message."

" Nothing. I shouldn't have bothered you. I just…needed someone. It's all right now."  
" Yes, because the fact that you sound like you've just been told your dog died makes me so believe you that you're fine. You sound like you need someone to talk to, Robbie."  
" I just…I don't want to dump this on you. You've probably had a long day yourself. You don't need my problems as well."  
" It's not dumping, it's sharing. Spill your guts, Robbie."  
" I miss you. I wish…" Robbie sighed, "I screwed up, Lizzie."  
" What'd you do?" Liz sighed herself, almost cringing in anticipation of some stupid thing Robbie had done.

" Aside from loads of very unprofessional activities because I was thinking with my cock not my brain?"

" Yes, aside from that. I'm not even going to ask what you mean by 'loads' and just assume that you didn't stop having sex at work."  
" Best you don't ask -- just tell yourself I'm already being punished enough for it. I got jumped-up and thought maybe Allis-Cameron…actually liked me. She kept calling it a relationship and we'd been eating dinner together and she let me stay the night sometimes. She giggled and agreed with me and even said I was doing a good job at work and I thought maybe, just a bit, there might be room for more than just sex. I should've known better. I'm a damn good fuck but that's all I'm good for. A bit of fun."  
" Robbie it's not jumped-up to think a girl who is sleeping with you might like you. In most cases, you'd probably be right."  
" I should know better than to ask for more." Liz had a brief flash of Oliver Twist, asking for more gruel, and winced at the appropriateness of the parallel. "I should just live with what I can get. What I'm given. Asking hurts more."  
" Robbie, you've lost me a bit. What happened?"  
" I told Allison -- Cameron-- that I wanted more than sex. I talked myself into asking for more. Figured that I'd never get anything if I don't ask. I let myself think--_hope_--that this time if I asked, I'd get what I wanted. I should know better."

" So you asked for a real date or…what?"  
" I just asked for more, nothing specific. I said 'I want this to be more than it is' and I tried to point out to her that she couldn't possibly say that she didn't enjoy the time we spent together, but apparently she can say that, without even letting me complete the sentence. Ironically, if I'd kept my mouth shut, I probably could have asked her to dinner and as long as I pretended the sex afterwards was just 'fun' she'd have been fine with it. As long as she thought I _didn't_ like her, she was willing to go out with me. Pleasant dinner, great sex, she's nice enough to me…best relationship I've had in years. As long as I didn't want to call it a relationship."

" You deserve better than that, Robbie. And it sounds like it was her issues, not yours. I don't see how you were an idiot, or how you screwed up. Aside from that unprofessional bit we're distinctly **_not_** discussing."  
" You're my best friend, you're _supposed_ to say, 'it's not you it's her'. But…it's Cameron. She cares about everyone. It can't be her. She's the nice one, the sweet one, the caring and soft and sensitive one. She married a dying man, Liz, just so he'd not be alone. She's a walking ball of caring. It _has_ to be me. If even Cameron doesn't care about me, there must be something wrong with me."  
" Then how do you explain Danny and me and Colin and everyone who does love you?"  
" You and Danny just…I don't know, nostalgia maybe for when I was still…endearing. When I was little, you knew me then. Colin's a priest, he's the only person I know who does caring even better than Cameron. Maybe I'm all right as a friend, I don't know."  
" Robert Chase, you are no less lovable now than you were the day you were born! Don't--"  
" And ironically, I wasn't loved or wanted then either. Oh, fuck it, Liz, I'm in a shit mood right now. Forget I said that."  
" NO, I won't forget it! Who told you that you weren't wanted or loved when you were born?" Liz had never heard that before, in all their long years of friendship and of telling each other their problems and heartaches and confusions.

" Mum. She was just being honest. She didn't want children, nor did Dad. I was an unpleasant accident. They tried to pretend for years but…I was never wanted. I thought I was, but looking back -- I can see it."  
" I can not believe she told you that. Every time I think my opinion of your parents couldn't possibly sink any lower, you let something new slip that you've hidden from me for years and…ugh! If I could kill them both again, I would!"  
" Why? For not loving me? You'd have a lot of people to kill -- most of them still alive."  
" I could start with Cameron." Liz was only partially kidding.

" No. You can't force her to like me, Liz. You can't even really be mad at her for not liking me. It's…you can't logic feelings. If she doesn't feel like that, for me at least, then she just doesn't feel like that. Nothing to be done for it but…deal."  
" You're pining. I can tell. Robbie…"  
" I'm not pining. I'm being persistent. But not in a stalker way. I just…I'm not disappearing. She knows how I feel. I'm just going to remind her that if she changes her mind, wants to be open to the possibilities of something more than sex, I'm here."  
" That may well be one of the most emotionally mature things I've ever heard you say when it comes to women. I still hate her."  
" You don't even know her."  
" Doesn't matter. Anyone who won't even bother to get to know you is someone I can fairly hate."  
" You're bias. Besides, she _knows_ me. She doesn't _like _me. Apparently, I'm not as lovable as you seem to think."  
" Only to her."  
" And Foreman. And House. And Cuddy. And probably Wilson, but I'm not asking him that. You're bias. And you don't have to live or work with me every day. Maybe I'm like that old saying -- 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'. As long as I'm absent, people are fond of me."  
" I loved you when I saw you every day in school."  
" I miss you."  
" Are we…still going shopping in May? Or are you cancelling out on that trip too because you can't afford it?"  
" I told you, I can't get the time off to go to Greece _and_ shopping. I may not be able to take either trip. I'm not exactly in my boss's good books right now."  
" Can you at least still make the premiere next month in New York?"  
" Yes. I've already cleared a couple days. I lied. Told Dr. Cuddy I had job interviews both days -- I just have one that morning. Then I'm all yours."  
" Are you still the same suit size? I can pick something up for you. And a shirt and a decent tie." Liz sighed, having hoped to spend time with Robbie, just the two of them, on that shopping trip. The Greek islands would be wonderful, but Danny and Jen and their two boys would be along, and Robbie would spend much of his time with the boys. "Do you need shoes?"  
" I still have the last pair of dress shoes you bought for me. I have a perfectly good suit as well -- several of them in fact --"  
" Robbie, this is a major film premiere. You are not wearing anything you picked out yourself. I'm buying you Armani, and you will be stylish and look gorgeous and like it. Am I clear?"  
" Yes, ma'am. My waist is an inch smaller now, other than that, yes I'm the same sizes."  
" As if you fucking needed to shrink. Fine. Get your bosses to give you the time off for the trip to Greece. I'll go shopping by myself."  
" I'm sorry, but work--"  
" I know. I'm not really that angry about the trip. I'm just…angry in general. At you for being so…you, and for being so stubborn about money, which I have plenty of now my career's really going. And at Cameron for being a bitch to you. You may like her enough to forgive her, but I'm your friend, I've never met her, so I can hate her for hurting you without compunction."  
" I love you. Thanks for being so protective, even when it's mostly my own fault…and for listening to me. Even when you just shout at me for being an idiot, it somehow makes me feel better."  
" I only shout because I love you, and I worry about you."  
" I know. I think that's why it works. I'm very tired, Liz, can I ring you back tomorrow?"  
" Sure. I need to go to bed myself. Love you."  
" Love you more."  
" Goodnight, Robbie."  
" Goodnight."


	5. Liz, pt 3

A/N: I was challenged by a friend to write something "maybe somewhat happy, for once" (can you sense the sarcasm about my normal writing there?) and was actually aided by the Season 3 finale, unlikely as that might seem given that I'm a Chase fan. Hopefully, I managed to meet the challenge -- if you have the time/inclination, reviews are greatly appreciated. Especially if I managed "happy", so I can show my friend that I can do it (and other people agree I can). I just don't choose to, very often ;)

Conversations

By Rebel Yell

Chapter Five

The phone was ringing. He should answer it. But then, he wasn't a working doctor right now, and therefore no patients were going to die if he didn't. On the other hand, it might be important anyway. It also might wake up the woman curled into his side -- frankly he was surprised it hadn't already. Or, maybe it had.

" Chase? Your phone." Allison mumbled into his chest. He grinned at her, even though her eyes were still shut, and leaned down slightly to kiss the top of her head.

" Allison, we aren't colleagues now. We're in bed together. You can call me Robert."  
" You aren't a 'Robert'. Much more of a 'Chase'. Answer the phone." It had stopped ringing for a minute, but now started back up again. He sighed and grabbed the cordless extension off the bedside table.

" How about trying 'Rob', at least. Hello?"  
" Robbie?! Danny just called me…he said you were fired! I can't believe after everything you've gone through with -- because of -- that bastard, he just fired you for no reason whatsoever and I know you're going to think this is about you, but it's totally about him -- you're a great doctor and--"  
" Lizzie, calm down. You're going to have a heart attack or hyperventilate."

" Who is it?" Allison mumbled again, still sounding mostly asleep. Then again, it was fairly early, and Rob had to admit that he'd kept her awake fairly late last night. Well, they'd kept each other awake.

" Liz, my friend from home. You remember…"  
" Mmm. Called me a heartless bitch, something about treating you like a dildo, I think."  
" That's the one." Rob confirmed, grinning again. "She's rather protective of me."  
" Robbie! Who are you talking to? Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to ignore someone on the telephone?"  
" No, Mum must have missed the lesson on manners in mum school. And I'm talking to Allison."  
" Cameron? She's at your apartment at...seven-thirty in the morning? You _slept with_ her! **AGAIN**! Robbie, I can _not_ believe you'd-"  
" Lizzie, seriously, calm down before you hyperventilate. We're…together now. I think."  
" Definitely." Allison smiled, and kissed his chest fondly. It tickled a little, but more distractingly it started to re-awaken the morning erection he'd had when he first woke up but which had faded (mostly) as he simply watched her sleep.

"I've had confirmation on this end, we're 'definitely' together now." He couldn't help smiling as he said that, and he knew Lizzie would hear it in his voice. He heard her sigh, and could picture her shaking her head in resignation at what she no doubt considered his poor taste in women. "Before you start in on that, why are you calling me at 4:30 am your time? Nothing better to do on a Tuesday morning?"  
" I just got in, and I had a message from Danny, so I called him back. He told me you'd been fired, and you sounded…well, he thought you sounded all right but I figured you were in denial when you talked to him or just still processing and he told me I didn't have to call right away but I was worried about you so I called you and now you've not only been fired but you've gotten a girlfriend who I don't like at all but you clearly do like and…oh dear Lord, Robbie, this is just too much right now. Are you staying in Princeton to stay with her or are you looking for jobs elsewhere or…oh, this is far too much to consider when I'm like this."  
" Lizzie, are you drunk?" Rob asked, trying not to laugh.

" No, well, yes, but that's not the point. This isn't about me, Robbie."  
" I can't believe you drunk dialed Danny and me both…you have expensive taste in drunk-dials. To answer your question, at least what I think was the question, I was going to consider a move back home, you know Dr. Jessup keeps offering me a place back at RPA and I'd love to be back with Dan and Jen and the boys…" He trailed off, noticing Allison staring up at him in clearly unpleasant surprise. He wondered why it didn't occur to her that he'd think of returning to Australia, but tilted her head to kiss her gently nonetheless, "but I'm going to stay in this area now. Princeton General already called actually, about a position as an attending in the ICU. As has a hospital in Trenton-- how they found out, I've not a clue -- and a couple places in New York City. If I shop around, I can find something good here."  
" I was…kinda hoping you'd consider a move to Los Angeles. It'd cure us both of the loneliness of being away from home so much. Plus, I hardly ever get to see you and I miss you."  
" I miss you too, Liz, but I'm not moving to California. At least, I have no plans to right now."  
" Because of her?"  
" Because I want to give it a proper chance with Allison, yes." He smiled at the woman in question, trying to convey to her that he was telling the truth and that he didn't find that reasoning unpleasant or regretful in the least.

" Did you tell Danny about this? You know he's been waiting for four years for you to move back home…you _are_ his oldest son's godfather after all. You know he intended for you to be involved with Jack and Michael."  
" And I will be. I talk to them every week, and I'm going to be in Sydney next month for a couple weeks. It's not like Dan can't afford to come to America to visit me, as well. But no, I've not told him. Allison and I only…decided to try a relationship, just last night."  
" He'll be disappointed. You know he misses you a lot."  
" I know. Stop trying make me feel guilty."  
" Is it working?"  
" Yes. It's only going to make me miserable though, it's not going to change my mind. I'm sure Dan will be very honest with me, when I see him next month."  
" And what's taking you to Australia -- without my knowing about it -- next month? How long has that been planned?"  
" About two weeks. I was going to tell you, next time we had an actual conversation, instead of me leaving messages on your machine and voicemail, Miss Celebrity Who Forgets to Call Her Friends. Everything is finally sorted with the estates. I have to be in court for something though, and to sign a load of…whatever it was my solicitor said I need to sign. I had arranged time off, but that's not really a concern now."  
" So, can we actually speak about that now, or are you going to be all snippy still?"  
" I wasn't being snippy. I was…determined to do things on my own."  
" You were snippy. And stubborn. And kinda mean. Did you win?"  
" You're drunk. And being argumentative. But yes, I won. Sort of. The mediator suggested that I be assigned a court-appointed third-party trustee, so that my mother's original stipulation that I not control the principle until I was thirty-five is maintained. I'm willing to accept just about anyone who isn't my stepmother. The court appointed the partner who took over my mum's old solicitor's files, who has arranged with me that the interest checks, minus his fees and percentages of course, will go straight to my accounts. Catherine is angry as hell, which makes it all the sweeter. She says it's in my dad's will that she control my trust -- truth is he left her to control his entire estate, which the judge declared does not include the trusteeship of my mother's estate which is held separately from my father's estate despite being under his trusteeship when he was alive…have I lost you yet?"  
" Uhm, yes. But maybe not if I was sober. So you're rich again?"  
" My finances are sorted, not sure I'm 'rich' just yet. If you want details, come down to Sydney next month. I'll be settling as much of my affairs as I can. You know where I'll be staying."

" Rob?" Allison looked up from his chest, suggestion clear in her eyes and tone, "I have twenty minutes before I need to be getting ready for work…how long is this call going to take?"

" Not long." He assured her, running his fingers through her hair. He was enjoying the chance to be casually affectionate with her, without worrying that she would get upset or scared or go running away if he showed that he cared about her.

" Are you going to cut off a conversation with me for her?" Apparently Liz had heard Allison's question.  
" Liz, I love you. You are one of my best and oldest friends. Nothing will change that. But, to tell truth, I really like her, she likes me, and she's naked in my bed so she outranks all that currently. So, yes, I am completely going to tell you to call back another time so I can have sex with my girlfriend before she has to go to work."  
" Fine." She didn't really sound that upset. "I'll call back later today."  
" Drink a glass or two of water, have some toast, go to bed. Call me when you're sober. That means when you're past the hangover too."  
" I really hope she's good for you, and it all works out, Robbie. You deserve to be happy."  
" I hope so too. Really gotta go now, Liz." Rob heard his voice crack a bit on the end, as Allison's hand slipped down his body, under the sheet to explore parts of him that were definitely starting to take a serious interest in events.

" Ewww, I don't want to know. Love you lots, bye!" She hung up, before Rob could reply. Turning the phone off, he reached to put it back on the base before pulling Allison up for a deep kiss. Oh, he could definitely get used to waking up like this. Even if it meant getting fired -- he may have found something that was worth losing a job for. He'd find another job. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to find another Allison Cameron.


	6. Liz, pt 4

A/N: So, I've lost my laptop for repairs for the time being, and am writing this without access to my stories except what I've gotten online. Hopefully nothing is out of sync...My apologies for any errors. I'm hoping to have my laptop fairly soon, which means more parts for all my stories and maybe some new stories. I hate sharing computers, it's hard on my writing time.

Conversations

by Rebel Yell

Chapter Six - Liz

"Hello?"  
" I'm sorry it's late, but I just couldn't wait and call tomorrow!"

" Liz? What's up? Did you finally land a role in a film with Brad Pitt?" Rob laughed, hearing the excited tone of his best friend's voice.

" No! At least, not yet. It's about Matt, well Matt and I both really."  
" How _is_ Matt?" Rob interrupted, still smiling although he had a feeling he was about to be inundated with rambles about how wonderful Liz's guy was -- he'd heard little else about life in California for the past six months except how wonderful Matt was.

" I'm getting married!"

" You're _**what**_?" Rob sat up straight in bed, waking Allison but not really caring right now.

" He asked me to marry him, and I've said yes! We're getting married, probably this winter around the holidays." She was so excited, he could practically hear her vibrating through the phone.

" You're _**what**_?"

" I'm getting married, Robbie! Matt and I, we're getting married!"  
" You've only been dating six months!"  
" That doesn't matter, I just know with him, Robbie! I never really understood what Danny meant when he said he knew so quickly with Jen, but now I do and it doesn't matter that I've not known him years, I just know it's right and we don't want to wait. I'm thirty already, and Matt's thirty-two."  
" I'm…really happy for you."  
" You don't sound it."

" No, love, I really am happy for you. I just…I've never even met him, you know, and I don't like that, and it's not like Danny's met him or anything to tell me not to worry, so…and it's rather quick."

" You don't trust my decisions about my own life?"

" That's not it at all. Sometimes love can make us blind to some things and…I just worry is all. I trust you. I just worry."  
" What're you really worrying about? I know it's not that you think I've picked a horrible guy."  
" I'm sure he's great." Rob sighed, pausing for a moment. "He's not Australian."  
" So? Nor is Allison."  
" I'm not asking her to marry me!" He glanced over at the woman in question, seeing her eyes staring at him in shock. "Not that it's out of the question, eventually, I mean, but I've not…and she's not…it's still early…and that's different."  
" Why?"  
" Excuse me, this is…important. I'll explain later." Rob leaned over to drop a kiss on Allison's forehead, and slipped from bed to take the phone into the living room of his apartment. He dropped onto the sofa, and started again. "It's different because no one really expects me to be able to make any relationship work long term. So it doesn't matter that she won't want to move back home with me in a few years."  
" Robbie, I'm not ever moving back to Australia. Not permanently."

" We don't know that. I mean, you might."  
" Not if I want to keep doing films like I can do here in America. Robbie, we've discussed this before. I'm not moving back home, not for a very long time, if ever."  
" Well, he won't want to go on holiday to Australia, will he? If you get married to someone who isn't Australian…what if you never go back at all?"  
" You're being ridiculous, Robbie. My parents and sisters and nieces are there. Danny and Jen are there, you'll likely be there. I'll visit, just like I do now. What's really bothering you?"

" Nothing. I'm being ridiculous, you're right. This is great news, Lizzie. I'm happy that you're very obviously happy. I was just surprised. Have you called your mum?"  
" First thing! I haven't called my sisters yet, it's still early in Sydney and I wanted to call you before it got too much later…were you sleeping? It's midnight there."  
" Allison was asleep, but I wasn't."  
" Oh, sorry I woke her. Tell her I'm sorry, won't you?"  
" If she's not gone back to sleep, sure."  
" So you're still…I mean the two of you are still together?"  
" It's only been a few weeks, Liz. Even I usually take longer than that to completely fuck up a relationship. We're doing all right, at least for my part. She seems happy enough, but with the mess at work…it's hard to know if she's just with me to minimize change or help with the transition or if it's really more than that."  
" What transition?"  
" Oh, that's right, I meant to tell you, uhm…Allison resigned from her fellowship with House just after I was fired."  
" She quit because you were fired?"  
" No, I think she quit because House fired me."  
" Isn't that what I said?"  
" Yes and no. Your version was about me. My version was about House. If Cuddy had fired me, it'd be different. Not least because I wouldn't be starting a new job as an intensivist at Princeton-Plainsboro tomorrow."  
" That's…is that good news?"  
" Mostly. I didn't do a lot of looking, but the pay is very competitive, and I like the way the ICUs are run at Princeton-Plainsboro. I like the department head, I like almost all the rest of the staff quite a lot. Plus, I can stay here and give this thing with Allison a real chance."  
" Is she doing the same? On her job search?"  
" Mostly. She's had some interest from some places in New York, and one good offer in Philadelphia, which would probably mean her moving closer to there so we'd see less of each other but it'd still be plausible. Cuddy's working with the board to get something at Princeton-Plainsboro, and Princeton General seemed pretty interested, according to Allison. I think she's mostly looking in this area."  
" That's good. I mean, I'm glad everything seems to be working out for you and her. I hope…well, I hope it continues that way. Have you talked to Danny recently?"  
" I got some cryptic message on my mobile earlier today, sounded like he's planning to take over the world or something…I think he gets crazier every year. We need to find another friend, to take over his place as the one with sense."  
" Well, there's always Colin."  
" I don't think he wants the job." Rob chuckled, wondering if anyone would really want it. "Should I be worried? What's so mysterious and newsworthy?"  
" It's nothing to worry about. If I tell you, Danny will be upset at me, though. It's good news, don't worry."  
" Oh God, Jen's pregnant again, isn't she?" Rob was laughing now, as Liz screeched at him over the phone.

" Robbie! You weren't supposed to guess! Danny'll be upset his surprise is ruined!"  
" I should have guessed -- Michael's nearly two. They keep going at this rate, I'm going to lose that bet."  
" What bet?"  
" The one I have with Melanie, Emily and Charlotte, about how many kids those two end up with. Melanie said three, so she'll be hoping they stop after this. Emily said four, I took five, and Charlotte, being Charlotte, said eight."  
" EIGHT! Even Jen and Danny don't want that many children!"  
" It's Charley. Speaking of bubs, when do I get nieces and nephews from you then? If you're getting married, when I can expect to be Uncle Rob to a whole new batch of little ones?"  
" Not until ten months after the wedding at least! I am _not _being the pregnant bride -- my grandmother would just die. You know how old-fashioned she is. Mum's probably called her, to reassure her that her poor old maid of a granddaughter isn't a dud after all, I _am_ getting married."  
" Your grandmother thinks all women should be married with children by twenty-five at the latest. Preferably more like twenty-one." Rob shook his head, having met Liz's maternal grandmother many times over the years. Beatrix Garnett had never seemed to agree with Liz's parents that Rob was a bad influence and she'd been a 'beard' for holidays together in university to avoid arguments between Liz and her parents. Rob had always privately suspected that Mrs. Garnett was hoping Liz would marry him -- a handsome doctor, who was independently wealthy, or would be when he turned thirty-five. And the fact that Mrs. Garnett knew that Rob would gladly die or kill for her granddaughter hadn't hurt his standing with her in the least.  
" I can't wait until Nan meets Matt…though she'll be so disappointed he's not Australian."  
" Or more likely, just hate that he's English. She'll say 'everyone's going to think your children are British' - that's what she'll say. In that tone that makes it seem like people are going to think your children are purple."  
" Yes, but she'll forgive all when I have more great-grandchildren for her to spoil. You should see how she is with Katie's two girls."  
" How is Katie? Are they still planning to have a third themselves?"  
" Yeah, they want a boy. Gracie is five now, and Poppy is nearly three, so I expect them to have an announcement soon."  
" And Sarah? Are they still trying?"  
" Yeah. I'm a bit worried, she's thirty-four now, you know. They've been trying for about six years."  
" Maybe…it's just not meant to be. Some people aren't meant to be parents, I guess."  
" Sarah would be a lovely mum!"  
" I know. I just…I'm just saying that God takes care of things."  
" You barely believe in God. Don't bring Him into this." Liz accused immediately, and Rob knew he was treading on fairly thin ice.

" I believe." Rob's voice was soft, but certain. "I may not always know how to…how to live with what I believe. I'm pretty miserable at living right, I know. I'm not always sure I believe everything the Church ever taught me, but I believe the big things, even if I can't seem to _do_ it all the time. And I'm _**not **_saying Sarah wouldn't be a great mum. But maybe she's not supposed to have biological children. There are loads of children out there who need someone to take care of them. Someone to care about them, love them, even if they aren't biologically responsible for their existence."  
" You think she should adopt."  
" I think she should look into it. She and Keith, they aren't getting any further from forty you know. And the risks go up exponentially after forty, for mother and baby. Not that Sarah would care what I think, I know. I see some kids though, Lizzie, that would break your heart. Kids whose parents -- rightly -- have lost their parental rights and kids who are in the system because of tragedies and they all just need some attention. They need to have someone who thinks they're the center of the universe, you know. Because that's what parenting is about. It's about making someone else the center of your universe, not yourself. Biology isn't as important as giving that sort of love. Sperm donors are not fathers and incubators are not mothers. She'll still be a mother."

" I'll tell her. I'll even tell her that it's your opinion."  
" Don't, please. Your family hates me, Liz. It'll just make her think it's a bad idea."  
" They don't hate you. Okay, Dad does. He just…he's ridiculous. Somehow I think he blames you for the fact that I grew up. Which makes no sense whatsoever. But he thinks it's your fault I didn't stay his little girl forever and ever. But Mum, I think she understands more now. I'm not saying she's forgiven you for some things, but I think she understands more. Katie, I don't know. I've not really talked to her about that sort of thing in years. But Sarah, she asks about you all the time. She'd like to see you again. She's gotten older, and she's seen more of things, and I think she has a better understanding of why you were so…difficult when you were younger."  
" She feels sorry for me, you mean. Because my parents weren't the best."  
" That's not it, Robbie-"  
" I can't blame my own problems and my own behavior on them, Liz. It's my fault I'm a screw up, I know that. My actions are solely my own responsibility. It's not my mum's fault, it's not my dad's fault. I'm just a shithead."

" You are **not**! And I agree that your actions are your responsibility, but the fact that you hate yourself, that's their fault! The fact that you were miserable growing up, that's their fault. That you had to take care of your mum, and be the adult in the relationship when you weren't even sixteen years old…that's their fault! It's _your _fault that you have horrible taste in women, and you can't dress yourself without clashing and it's your fault that you can't seem to stop struggling with that pesky Sixth Commandment, and…lots of things but not everything."  
" I don't hate myself." Rob sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. The conversation was tiring, and it was late. He had to work in the morning, and this may have started as a happy phone call, but it wasn't turning out to be short and sweet. "I just…affirm and embrace my own, numerous, faults."

" I begin to agree with Colin. And Danny."  
" No! I'm not seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist or anyone else. I'm not crazy, and I'm not pathetic. I'm not paying someone to listen to me whinge."  
" It's late, I'm not arguing this with you right now. Listen, you and Danny are going to be in the wedding party…so start planning time off for near New Years, right? And you'll get to see my family and you'll see, they don't hate you."  
" Yes, I'm sure your father will be ever so happy to have me in the wedding party. Does he still use my name as a curse?"  
" Well, Dad can just deal with it, because I am _**not **_getting married without you. And he never used your name as a curse, you're being overly dramatic. He just thought you were…leading me astray, I suppose."  
" Just make sure he doesn't have to pretend to be civil for more than a few minutes, yeah? Sit us well apart. Get me the information when you can, and I'll be there. I'd walk to California if I had to, you know that. For some reason, I can not say 'no' to you."  
" You can't say 'no', full stop. I should let you sleep, but…I'm just too excited to have not called tonight. Good night, Robbie."  
" Congratulations, Lizzie. My best to Matt -- tell him how lucky he is that he didn't have to survive an initiation from Dan and I. Love you."  
" Love you too, Robbie."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The Sixth Commandment, for Catholics (as the characters in this story are) is 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' not 'Thou shalt not kill'. No, Chase isn't going around killing people, promise.


	7. the Boys

Conversations

by Rebel Yell

Chapter Seven - The Boys

" UNCLE ROBBIE!"

" Hello, Jack." Rob laughed, despite the slight ringing in his ears from the volume of his godson's greeting. "How'd you know it was me?"  
" The phone told me! It says 'Uncle Robbie' on it, and Daddy said I can answer the phone if it says 'Daddy' or 'Mummy' or 'Grandpa' or 'Nan' or 'Uncle Robbie' or 'Auntie Lizzie' or 'Auntie Mel' or 'Auntie Charley' or 'Auntie Emily' but not if it says anyone else. But I can't read all those yet, I can just read Daddy and Mummy and Nan and Uncle Robbie. The phone used to say something else when you called…Daddy said that it used to say your name but it didn't because it started with a 'C' and your name doesn't and I said so and Daddy changed it to say 'Uncle Robbie' and showed me what 'Uncle Robbie' looked like in letters. How come the phone didn't used to know your name, Uncle Robbie? Is it because you live in Najezzie?"  
" I don't know, Jack. But that's probably a smart guess."  
" Daddy says I'm a good reader already, Uncle Robbie. I know all my letters, and I'm learning words. He says I'm like Mummy, she was a good reader too. He says I'm really smart, just like Mummy."  
" I think you're really smart, just like _both_ your Mummy and your Daddy."

" Do you think I can teach Tiggy to read too?"  
" I don't know. Tiggy's a bit small to hold a book isn't he?" 'Tiggy' was Jack's teddy bear, and Rob wasn't entirely sure how to get around the fact that Tiggy was inanimate. A fact Jack didn't yet seem to realize, or at least accept.

" Yeah. I guess I'll have to wait 'til he gets big enough to hold the book too. Daddy and Mummy still have to hold the big book for me, the one you gave me for Christmas. It's really big, Uncle Robbie. It gots lots of stories too. I like the one with the funny name the best, but Mummy doesn't like it. So Daddy reads it to me instead."  
" That's right. Your mummy doesn't like 'Rumpelstiltskin', does she?"

" No!" Jack was giggling, and Rob couldn't help but laugh a little as well. The boys' laughter was infectious, those innocent giggles just made him smile no matter what his previous mood was. "Daddy says she had nightmares about him when she was little, but that's just funny. She doesn't like the one with the witch and the oven either."  
" Hansel and Gretel."

" I don't like it either, but Michael does. Mummy says it's too scary for Michael but he giggles every time the witch goes in the oven. I don't think it's too scary for him if he giggles, do you? I gots a special paper in school today to bring home for Mummy and Daddy to see. I'd shows you too, Uncle Robbie, but you can't see over a phone. I can't read it, but Mummy says it says all about getting an award for student of the month at school because I've not been absent and because I'm doing well with letters and reading and I get to do show and tell next week because of it. Chloe brought in her Daddy last week, he's a judge, and Daddy says I have to ask you before you come since you're visiting next week and I wants to bring you in for show and tell. You can tell everyone how you do doctor things, and not like Grandpa. He doesn't have patients, Nan tried to explain he works with glasses which doesn't sound very doctory. But Daddy says you have real patients and you save lots of lives and that's why you live all the way in Najezzie and don't ever visit and why we have to talk to you on the phone. So, can you come to show and tell?"  
" You really want to take _me_ to show and tell? Why not your Daddy?"

" Daddy does work with boats and just sits and does things on the phone. And you live in Najezzie and you save lives, which is even better than Ben's uncle who studies sharks."

" If you're sure, I can come." Rob agreed, not entirely sure how he felt about being used in some sort of four-year-old's version of a 'mine is cooler than yours' competition, but pretty sure he'd settle for damn proud. At least his nephews thought he was pretty damn cool, even if not too many other people did so.

" Are you done saving lives in Najezzie yet, Uncle Robbie?"  
" Well, no. I'm just coming for a visit, Jack. Why?"  
" We miss you. I want you to come home, Uncle Robbie. I love you."  
" Oh, Jack."

" Daddy says you do important things in Najezzie and save sick people but there's sick people at home too, Uncle Robbie. Michael's sick, even. Isn't Michael and me important enough for you to come home, Uncle Robbie?"  
" Of course you're very important to me, Jack. You and Michael, and your mummy and your daddy too. You know I love you, right?"  
" mmmhmmm. But I wants you to come home to stay forever and ever and ever. I miss you lots."  
" I miss you too, Jack." Although Rob hadn't lived in Australia since Jack was only months old, he'd kept as close as he could over holidays and on the phone. He didn't doubt that Jack really did 'miss' him, in the sense that the boy wished Rob lived closer. If nothing else, he'd heard his parents talking about it, probably more than once.

" Daddy says he needs to talk to you too, Uncle Robbie. I guess I'll go, but I don't want to. We'll talk soon, right?"  
" When I visit, I promise. We'll have a talk about whatever you want, just you and me, Jack. I promise."  
" Okay. Bye, Uncle Robbie. Love you."  
" Love you, Jack." There was a brief pause on the other end, no doubt Jack was handing the phone to Dan.

" Rob? I take it you've heard about my son's blazing academic success?"  
" He must take after his Mum, yeah?"  
" Clever. Very clever."  
" I just called to give you my flight information."  
" Which you could have emailed."  
" Well, right then, to give you my flight information and to respond to the mysterious message you left me about some announcement. If you're hoping to spring Lizzie's engagement on me, you're too late, she's already done."  
" She mentioned as much when she rang to tell me. No, this announcement is about me and Jen."  
" She's pregnant again? Hoping for a girl this time?"  
" You know, guessing takes all the fun out of the announcement."  
" You're predictable. Are you going to find out the gender before birth this time?"  
" No. I wanted to do, but Jen insists on the surprise. She's due in December, around the fifteenth."  
" You know, if you have another boy, you'll be well on your way to fielding your own cricket side."  
" Eh, maybe basketball."  
" Congratulations, mate, that's great news. Give a hug and kiss to Jen for me, yeah?"  
" Of course."  
" What's this I hear about Michael being sick? It's not serious is it?"  
" No, nothing serious. He'll probably still be feverish and miserable when you arrive though. We can put those pediatric skills of yours to use. I knew there was a reason I kept you 'round all these years. Free medical care for my kids."  
" Yeah, and that's why I live in New Jersey, on the other side of the world. I make a great personal physician for my nephews."  
" Well, you will do, once you move back here."  
" Have you been training Jack to guilt me into coming home, Dan? That's not cool, mate. Not cool. Sweet, but not fair in the least."  
" It wasn't me, Rob. Maybe Jen though, I don't know. Why? What'd he say?"  
" That he wants me to move home forever and ever and ever, that he loves me and misses me. I'm a puddle of guilt-ridden goo over here, Dan. My only salvation is the fact that those big puppy eyes of his are safely where I can't see them. You know if I do move home, I'm going to spoil those boys rotten. I can't resist those eyes."  
" Someone here wants to say 'hi', Rob. Hold on a minute."  
" Sure."  
" Hi, Unca Robbie. I sick."

" Hi, Michael. I'm sorry you're sick. Mummy and Daddy will take very good care of you though, I'm sure."  
" You too."  
" Yes, me too, when I get there."  
" Soon."  
" Yes, soon."  
" Love you. Bye bye."  
" Love you too."

" I'm back on, Rob."  
" Your kids are irresistible on the phone, Dan. I'm not going to be able to leave them behind if I spend three weeks there."  
" That's my cunning plan, mate. If you won't move back for me, I'll sic my little ones on you. No one can resist the combined cuteness of Jen's boys."  
" That's emotional blackmail, you know."  
" Oh, I'm not too proud to use all the weapons at my disposal. This girl, Dr. Cameron, she can't be worth staying over there just for her."  
" Maybe…maybe she is. Hard to tell yet. I really do care for her, Dan."  
" Yeah, you say that now. Until she turns out like every girl before her."  
" She's definitely not like _**any **_other girl, let alone every girl."  
" You sound smitten, you poor bastard. We'll talk when you get here, so I can see if you've got the dopey look that signifies the loss of all hope."  
" I land at 10:43 am, in from Los Angeles. I'll be exhausted, I hope your boys let me sleep at least a bit."  
" You can nap with Michael. He's sleeping more than usual as it is. And he's done the exact same as Jack, decided even over the phone that Uncle Robbie is just the greatest guy in the world. After Daddy of course."  
" Of course. It's a United Airlines flight, so…you need any other information? I can give you departure when I get there, I've got three weeks in Sydney."  
" I'll take some time out of the office, pick you up and drop you round the house with Jen and the boys. Actually, Jack has school that day, so it'll just be Jen and Michael until the afternoon."  
" I bet the boys are huge. I'll probably barely recognize them."  
" It's only been four/five months, since you've seen them. Trust me, you'll still know them both."  
" I have to go, but I'll see you soon. And call off your boys. I don't need any more guilt in my life."  
" Like I said, not too proud to use every weapon in the arsenal. See you in a few days, Rob. Safe travels."  
" Bye, Dan."


	8. Dan, pt 2

Author's Note: It's been awhile since I wrote in this fic (or fandom), I hope everyone remembers it. To make a long saga short -- I lost my entire harddrive and all my stories last summer. For some reason this seemed to take the muses as well. I'm not sure if this part is an aberration, or a signal that the House muses are returning. Still, I hope everyone enjoys this little update on my Chase-centric universe.

Conversations

By Rebel Yell

Part Eight

"Hello?" Rob answered on what could well be the tenth ring, hoping he sounded somewhat human, considering it was nearly four am.

" Rob!"  
" Dan? This better be important mate, it's four here." He groaned, wishing he could in good conscience hang up on his friend. But it wasn't Dan's fault that he'd gone to Cameron's after work, and even if she wouldn't let him spend the night (something about holiday tradition or something), he had only just gotten home two hours ago.  
" It's a girl!"  
" What?" Rob tried to wake up, knowing that this was important but not quite following.

" It's a girl!"  
" A girl? Oh, fuck! That's great, Dan! Fantastic! How's Jen?"  
" Flying. She says the girl hurt less, but I don't think she'd have said that before I told her it was a girl. She's so excited to have a daughter she's forgotten already that I'm a total bastard who keeps doing this to her."  
" Ah, you deserve every bit of abuse she throws at you, Dan."  
" Not so sure I do, Rob. Not like she's adverse to the activity which results in these babies, you know. It's not really something I do to her, more like with her."  
" Yeah well, when you start carrying the kid and giving birth, you can say it's shared, mate. At least, that's what I'm told by the women I work with. How's the bub?"  
" Perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, full head of dark hair, big blue eyes…and a girl."  
" Sounds like your excited too."  
" I love my boys, of course, always wanted sons, but a girl is…I don't know. Want a little girl to spoil rotten, teach my boys to scare off her boyfriends -- do all those brother things I did, and do, for my sisters."  
" I guess."  
" You missed out, Rob. Siblings are the best part of being grown, and the worst part of growing up."  
" I didn't entirely miss out." Rob reminded, though he did feel a familiar pang in his chest, that old wish that he'd had someone there who really understood what it was like to grow up in that house. "Have you and Lizzie, and Cols too."  
" How is Colin? Haven't heard from him lately."  
" Ah, he's at a new parish. He's got a whole raft of new nieces and nephews in the last year, I think four new arrivals this year. One of his sisters had twins. I can't remember which to be honest, I'm not quite awake still."  
" Yeah, sorry about the time."  
" Eh, forget it. Good news is always worth it. Long as it's not PPTH calling me in to work, I'm happy."  
" You work today or tomorrow?"  
" Not today, but I work tomorrow. I always take Christmas Day."  
" You take every holiday."  
" No reason not to. Hey, it's still the 24th there, right?"  
" Yeah, for about four more hours. We just missed the Christmas baby."  
" Still…long awaited arrival on Christmas Eve. Makes me want to go to Midnight Mass."  
" You should. Lizzie keeps telling us you don't go very often."  
" How does she know?"  
" Lizzie always knows. I swear she's got some freaky method of spying on you, Rob."  
" That explains Colin's reprimands then. You'd think he'd be used to it by now. I've been lapsed for…damn near ten years."  
" Still angry?"  
" With God? Not so much. Just not always sure about the earthly Church. If I were raising kids, they'd be Catholic, though I guess that doesn't make sense, does it?"  
" You should go, Rob. At least tonight. It's Christmas. Light a candle for my little girl."  
" She's healthy though, right?"

" Of course. Just can't hurt to have candles lit for her, can it?"

" Jen's not coming to the wedding then?"  
" No. She's not happy about it, either. Just me, flying solo. No kids, no wife. Like being young again."  
" You're only thirty, Dan."  
" Is Cameron coming along?"  
" To Liz's wedding? No. I asked. Allison has this odd impression that Liz doesn't like her."  
" Liz hates her. She thinks you're being stupid and thinking with entirely the wrong head."  
" And here I was trying to convince Allison that I had the right to bring any guest I liked and my friends do _not_ hate her." Rob sighed, resisting the urge to bang his head against the wall.

" She didn't make a good impression, mate. Can't believe I'm leaving my wife here with a four year old, two year old and an newborn. Thank God my mum is moving in to help out. Otherwise Jen might never forgive me."  
" You couldn't hardly have timed this baby worse. Or Liz's wedding, I suppose. Just us two, single again, though. We could hit Vegas, it's not a long flight from Los Angeles."  
" We could. Just no getting me in trouble, Rob. Remember I'm a married man."  
" You can window shop, just don't sample the merchandise."  
" Jack wants to talk to you."  
" Right then, put him on."  
" UNCLE ROBBIE! I'VE A BABY SISTER!"  
" Your daddy told me that. I'm very excited for you."  
" She's ugly though, all scrunched up and red. Was I ugly?"  
" Well, you were pretty red and scrunched up. But I thought you were cute as a button."  
" Oh. Was Michael cute?"  
" No, Michael was ugly." Rob laughed, knowing what answer Jack wanted and providing it. That was the fun of being the uncle, he could play with the kids without always worrying about the responsible thing.

" I thought so. Nan says I'm the handsomest one. Is she gonna be fun, Uncle Robbie?"  
" Who? You're Nan?"  
" NO. My baby sister."  
" Well, not for awhile. She's not going to do much for about a year, really."  
" A year? That's forever. Michael's fun, mostly."  
" She will be too, once she's Michael's age."  
" Daddy says I have to let him talk now. Bye, Uncle Robbie. Miss you. Love you."  
" Bye, Jack. Miss you too, and I love you."  
" I'm sure you need to go back to sleep, Rob, so I won't keep you any longer. Just had to share the news right away."  
" You call Lizzie yet?"  
" Not yet. She's next. Think she's still awake at one o'clock?"  
" Those Hollywood stars, you know them. She's probably just grabbing dinner."  
" Right. I'll see you in about a week for the wedding."  
" Yeah. Hey, Dan. You never told me the new arrival's name."  
" Didn't I? It's Lila. Lila Noelle Kelleher. We'd picked out Mary for the middle, but with it being Christmas Eve, Jen wanted it changed."  
" I like it. Go on, let me sleep and give the good news to Liz. I'll call tomorrow to talk to the boys and Jen."  
" Bye, Rob. And go to Mass."  
" Bye, Dan. And stop worrying about me, you got three kids now."

" Bye, Rob."  
" Bye."


End file.
